Scripture: Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; or Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46
This week Jesus answers the Pharisees' question about the greatest commandment. Jewish scholars had surveyed the Torah, counted carefully and discovered 613 commandments. Applying all 613 at once was virtually impossible, even if they could he remembered. If one were to hang all of these laws on one nail, what nail would it be? Jesus uses two nails: love of God and love of neighbor.
D. Brent Laytham and MIchelle Clifton-Soderstrom tell us in their article "Christ Jesus it is He" in Blogging toward Sunday, that Jesus didn't stop there - he pushed it to a different level. He asked what they thought about the Messiah, and the asks "whose son is he? Why do you think he did this? What did he mean? How does this relate to what Jesus refers to as the greatest commandments? He says that on these two commandments hangs all the law and prophets.
The Rev. Sister Judith Schenke has a great homily on what "All" means, as well as "heart," "mind" and "soul." Most importantly, she discusses why Jesus asks about what the Messiah is. She says the significance of Jesus' choice of the word "hang," and his self-sacrificial love embodies God's loving forgiveness and redemption of us when we fail, when we fall. She says "the word “hang” is the same one used for “Jesus, whom you slew and hanged upon the cross.” That shifts the entire meaning of the Great Commandment, doesn’t it? To love the Lord with all our hearts and souls and minds, and to love our neighbor as ourselves is a crucifixion. It means to die to ourselves. No wonder there are so few volunteers. To love with that little word “all” costs everything. Everything. It is the Great Kenosis: a total emptying. [cf. Philippians 2: 7 "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men"] God asks no less. God asks everything. God asks all. Do we dare? Can you believe there is a resurrection in our own life on the other side of that void of death, that emptying, giving, surrendering love?"
All. Only “All.”
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